cab
Latest
Hailo launches in Manchester a month later than Uber
App-based taxi services are the subject of anger and frustration over in London, but Manchester looks set to become the next major battleground for two of the UK's biggest. Hailo, which has served around 12,000 of London's black cabs since 2011, today went live in the north west (its first city outside of the capital), just a month after Uber officially opened its (virtual) doors to customers there. While Hailo's app currently books registered taxis for customers, the company recently announced that it was becoming a fully-featured Uber rival, which saw disgruntled London black cab drivers vandalise the company's headquarters and leave the service in their droves. According to the Manchester Evening News, 300 drivers have already signed up, but the company expects that number to grow rapidly. Nothing like a fresh competitor, it seems, to stop you resting on your laurels.
Black cab feud with Uber will be decided by London's High Court
It's safe to say that London's black cabbies don't like Uber, or anything like it. While it could simply be that they're bothered by the new-style competition, traditional taxi drivers also argue Uber's use of smartphones to calculate fares is illegal, since private cars aren't allowed taximeters. Transport for London (TfL) doesn't believe they're the same thing, and it has long said it's happy that Uber complies fully with regulations (as the company itself has pointed out). To add more legal weight to its stance, TfL has now asked the High Court to step in. All interested parties will have a chance to say their piece before the court gives a definitive ruling on whether Uber acts within the law. The decision isn't expected for several months at the earliest, but in the meantime black cabbies are planning a protest against Uber in London on June 11th. [Image credit: sjiong / Flickr]
Uber shows defiance following pressure from London's black cabs
Uber's used to taking heat from traditional taxi organizations that'd rather the new breed not muscle in on their turf; including in London, where black cabbies are expected to protest against the car service next month. Even Hailo, which for years has given the capital's iconic cabs an app-based platform for finding customers, suffered backlash last week after announcing its intention to include private hire services in the future. Without referring to either of these events specifically, Uber's taken to its blog today to "clarify a few things," or rather, tell black cabbies where to go.
Hailo's HQ trashed by Uber-hating London black cab drivers
London's black cabs are in a league of their own, so when Hailo, an app specifically designed for those vehicles, announced that it was becoming a fully-featured Uber rival, things got a little heated. In fact, disgruntled drivers have vandalized the company's headquarters and are now rapidly departing the service. The platform has been losing ground to its less-choosy rivals, and so decided to admit that if it couldn't beat Uber, it would probably have to join it. Unfortunately, the threatened cabbies are also planning a (hopefully non-violent) assault upon Uber next month in the hope of pressuring the government to hold the service to the same rules and standards that commercial taxis use.
London's black cabs plan 'severe chaos' on city streets in protest of Uber
Uber's no stranger to disputes with traditional taxi firms in Europe; it's already been banned in Belgium and French lawmakers want to take its tracking tech and hand it over to regular cab firms. Discontent has been growing the other side of the Channel too, as drivers of London's iconic black cabs appear set to cause "severe chaos and congestion" by blockading many of the city's streets in June. For the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) the issue is simple: it says Uber's drivers are using smartphone apps to calculate fares, which they believe is illegal because private vehicles are not permitted to be fitted with taximeters. Uber's apps actually use GPS data to work out the distance travelled and time taken, which isn't illegal, despite the LTDA's groans. Transport for London doesn't want to get involved as it doesn't believe the law has been broken, but that won't stop the LTDA from seeking a judicial review. Although TfL appears to back Uber's presence in London, it says no final decisions have been made and the company's model is "still under investigation."
France is plotting to take Uber's car-tracking tech and hand it over to taxis
While taxi services like Uber may be flat-out unwelcome in Belgium, neighboring France is still trying to figure out how to manage them. Under pressure from traditional cab drivers in the country, a new law was introduced that required the likes of Uber, LeCab and SnapCar to wait 15 minutes before picking people up, giving normal cabs a better shot at landing the business. It didn't survive very long, not that it did much to calm some old-school cabbies anyway. Now, a new report, due to be presented to the French Prime Minister today, suggests disarming the newer services of one of their greatest weapons, and turning it over to regular taxis.
Nissan reinvents London's black cab again, will launch all-electric model in 2015
When Nissan introduced us to its modern interpretation of London's black cab more than a year ago, the compact diesel was all but ready to hit the city's streets. However, the Japanese automaker decided it wasn't quite finished with its final design, so it headed back to its London studios with feedback from the London Mayor's office to make it little more, well, iconic. Earlier today, Nissan unveiled the updated version of its NV200 Taxi for London, highlighting its new round headlights and a re-modelled grille in an attempt to mirror the black cabs of old. The new model also ditches diesel for a cleaner 1.6-liter petrol engine and uses LED lights to improve visibility of its orange-lit taxi sign. Nissan says the petrol-engine NV200 will go on sale in December, serving as a key "stepping stone" for zero emission electric version, which could become the capital's first all-electric taxi in 2015.
Uber takes its car service to Dubai, enters first Middle Eastern locale
The folks at Uber have had a busy, globe-trotting summer. After plans to ride into China, India and other parts of Asian crept out in June, the private car service has taken its expertise to Dubai. Arrival near the world's tallest building marks the outfit's first entry into the Middle East. Interested customers can use the iPhone app to request a ride in vehicles like the BMW 7-Series with more cars being added on the daily. No word on plans to expand into desert-bound dessert delivery just yet, though.
Uber intros fare splitting for cost-conscious ridesharers
Few party-goers look forward to the math involved with paying for a shared cab ride home. Now that Uber supports fare splitting, they won't have to: the company's updated Android and iOS apps let passengers divide the cost equally. While friends must be Uber members to chip in, they only have to give their permission if someone has already hailed a car. The new apps won't necessarily get cheapskate friends to pay up, but they could avoid a few headaches at the end of a long night.
NY court lifts temporary ban on cab-hailing apps, pilot program to continue
The on-again-off-again status of NYC's e-hail pilot program is now, well, back on. A New York state court has just lifted a temporary restraining order brought on by the city's livery cab companies that halted the year-long trial of taxi-hailing apps like Uber, Hailo and Taxi Magic. They argued that using the apps to book cabs counts as pre-arranging a service, which is strictly their territory. After weeks of deliberation, judges sided with the city, which contended the software is just another way to hail a cab.
NYC rolls out six Nissan Leafs in EV taxi pilot, good luck catching one
New York City's full-on EV taxi blitz may not come until late this year, but the metropolis is taking its first tentative steps into that electric world as of today: it's deploying the six Nissan Leaf cabs promised as part of a pilot program. The half-dozen sedans will spend a year on the road, with officials able to gauge the effectiveness of EVs as taxis when they have access to both regular chargers at their home bases as well as fast chargers in Manhattan's far West Side, Lower East Side and Union Square. Don't expect to hail an eco-friendly cab very often, though -- along with the daunting numerical odds, the Leaf drivers have more liberty than usual to turn down passengers and protect their remaining power supply. If you do happen to find yourself in the back seat, however, you'll likely get a glimpse at New York's cleaner and quieter future.
Uber recruiting San Franciscan drivers, no (official taxi) license needed
Taxi-hailing apps like Uber and its competitors have been hitting stop sign after speed bump in their journey to actually, you know, being able to operate. Uber even had to shut down a beta in the Big Apple before the authorities gave such services the green light (with various caveats), and earlier this month, a similar win was scored in California when officials lifted local restrictions. As a result of the Golden State's leniency, Uber has started its UBERx program in San Francisco to recruit drivers who don't possess a specific taxi or limo license. That means everyone and your neighbor Bob can potentially start exchanging rides for cash, and are being promised decent compensation, completely flexible working hours, and access to a large number of clients. Luckily for fare-payers, those that wish to repurpose their whip will have to pass several tests before ferrying passengers, including a "city knowledge exam," so hopefully you won't end up on Alcatraz when you just asked Bob for a lift to Chinatown. [Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons]
TomTom intros iPhone app for its taxi trial service, helps Dutch get home quickly
There's been a perpetual catch with TomTom's taxi hailing service in Amsterdam (and now Rotterdam): passengers have to hail from a specific terminal, which isn't much help when they just need a ride home from the club at 2AM. The Dutch don't have to necessarily forgo one convenience for another now that there's an iPhone app. Edging closer to services like Uber, the TomTomTaxi app lets travelers order a cab from their own devices, learn about drivers and choose favorite drivers if they have good experiences. The software may keep rude surprises to a minimum, as well, when both the driver and travelers can see the fastest route for themselves. Expansion outside of the Netherlands is still a mystery, although there's an Android app on the way that should cover a larger swath of taxi seekers.
NYC's taxi commission votes 'yes' to one-year trial of cab-hailing apps
Despite copious quantities of bickering between the New York City taxi commission and Uber (amongst others), it looks as if said entity is going to give this whole "21st century" thing a whirl. Skift is reporting that the commission voted just moments ago to allow a one-year trial of taxi-hailing apps, with seven members voting "yes" and two abstaining. It's a huge, huge victory for apps like Lyft, Hailo and Uber, and it could very well set the stage for the first major leap in how the cab-hailing process works in a very long while. We're learning now that passengers using any e-hail app below 59th Street will "only be able to hail taxis within a half-mile radius of their location," while cabs will be allowed to pick up e-hail passengers "within a mile and half radius everywhere else in the city." Moreover, drivers must be able to accept trips with a single touch, and all payments have to be processed through a T-PEP provider. Not surprisingly, each app will be required to report to the TLC each quarter. Commissioner Yasky was quoted as saying the following: "Like all pilot programs, this will provide a wealth of information and allow us to make a better decision down the road. We should not ignore technology that is out there. Uber, Hailo, and GetTaxi are out in other cities of the world."
Uber shuts down New York City taxi beta, may see light at the end of the (Lincoln) tunnel in February (update: TLC responds)
Uber has been having a tough time getting a foothold in New York City, and it's temporarily withdrawing the UberTaxi service it had in beta. The withdrawal isn't entirely for the reasons you'd expect, however. While Uber claims to have been getting grief from the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission for offering a competing (if technically legal) service through its smartphone apps, the program's end was due to demand rather than any kind of outright ban -- the Commission's pressure reportedly kept Uber from matching interest with enough yellow cabs. Black car service is still on for those who don't mind the classic ride. Should that uncomfortable balance not be quite good enough, Mayor Bloomberg is promising a truce come February, when a shift in contracts will let New York change the rules and hopefully improve the market for taxi alternatives. Update: TLC Commissioner David Yassky has weighed in with both an elaboration and claims that the Commission has been in favor of newer technology for awhile. He notes that the contracts expiring in February relate to exclusive payment arrangements with Creative Mobile Technologies and VeriFone, and that apps of all kinds (Uber's included) can compete for attention at that point. His full statement: "In recent months, as e-hail apps have emerged, TLC has undertaken serious diligence and is moving toward rule changes that will open the market to app developers and other innovators. Those changes cannot legally take place until our existing exclusive contracts expire in February. We are committed to making it as easy as possible to get a safe, legal ride in a New York City taxi, and are excited to see how emerging technology can improve that process. Our taxis have always been on the cutting edge of technological innovation, from GPS systems to credit card readers."
New York City, meet your new official taxi: the Nissan NV200
Back in May, Nissan unveiled its NV200 van as New York City's "Taxi of Tomorrow" in a joint press conference with Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Today, NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) made the pact official, signing regulations that will replace the city's iconic line of Crown Victorias (and myriad other cabs) with the NV200 beginning in October 2013. As Nissan puts it, today's signing, "officially makes the NV200 the taxicab of New York City." The NV200 van beat out competition from the likes of Ford to take New York City's coveted "Taxi of Tomorrow" award months ago. When Engadget EIC (and gearhead) Tim Stevens explored the NV200 at the New York Auto Show, he called it "a huge advance" over existing taxi stock. And hey, with all those amenities, we can't disagree. Most exciting for commuters: Nissan's NV200 taxi features separate climate controls for passengers, as well as USB slots for mobile charging. "Taxi of Tomorrow" indeed!
Visualized: Samsung's human, Galaxy Note-powered taxi
That's the last time we take a taxi in Berlin. After a fairly harrowing journey across the city to tonight's Samsung IFA event, we reached our destination and spotted a clearly superior mode of transportation: a fleet of pedal-powered cabs sporting Galaxy Note 10.1s in the back. Of course, we probably would have spent more time admiring the glory that is Berlin, rather than the 10-inch screen, but it's nice to have the option there when we need it.%Gallery-163795%
Samsung files for patent on safe taxi service, we hope we never fully test it
Anyone who often relies on taxi service to get around, as good as it can be, has likely had a driver who was less than courteous -- and in the worst cases, outright scary. Samsung wants to keep passengers safe, and drivers honest, through a just-published patent application for an end-to-end taxi service. On a basic level, it's a taxi finder with a rating system: the mobile app in the patent can hail a nearby cab based on the driver's "kindness" rating and verify that it's the right vehicle with a short-range wireless link, not unlike an even more genteel version of Uber. It's when passengers hop inside that Samsung's implementation takes on a more distinct shape. If the driver puts customers or the whole cab in danger, a passenger-activated SOS mode flags the car's location to get the police on the scene before it's too late. We don't know how likely Samsung is to implement such a system, although it has been actively developing more advanced backseat technology and filed the US patent in February, a year after its Korean equivalent. We do know this is one of the few patents we'd rather not completely experience first-hand -- the only crazy taxis we're comfortable with sit inside game consoles.
London minicab firm equips cars with free WiFi, says you don't need no stinking LTE
London may be late to the LTE party, but it's more than making up for its laggard mobile ways by bulking up its citizens' access to WiFi. The Tube's been acquiring hotspots in preparation for the crush of Olympic fans expected to use public transport, and now it's time for taxis to do the same. The Inquirer reports that Greentomatocars, a London minicab service, is now equipping every car in its fleet with free WiFi. Each cab has its own SIM that affords passengers up to 7.2Mbps downloads and 2Mbps uploads, and gaining access merely requires you profess your affection for gratis internet -- the password is ilovefreewifi.
NYC may let iPhones hail taxis
Soon, New Yorkers may be puling out their smartphones instead of waving their hands when they need to hail a cab. According to an ABC News report, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) of NYC is looking for developers to help bring access to its taxi fleet to mobile phones. The Commission put out a call for developers who can implement a system that would let customers schedule a cab and pay for the ride using their smartphone. One such solution, Taxi Magic, is being used in 45 US cities to schedule over 30,000 taxicabs. Other companies like Hailo, which has a cab solution up and running in London, have set up shop in NYC and are hoping to break into what potentially could be a very lucrative market.
